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Thursday, May 11, 2017

Remembering and appreciating someone who captivated me as a kid, and then later proved the maxim about what's old becoming new -and popular- again! Actor Michael Parks, from 'Then Came Bronson' and so much more...

"A Harley Roadster, a bedroll, a lonely stretch of highway: Jim Bronson (Michael Parks) is traveling where the road and the day take him, trying to make sense of things after the suicide of his close friend (Martin Sheen). He doesn't go far along a magnificent stretch of California's coastal Big Sur before he meets Temple Brooks (Bonnie Bedelia), a runway bride just as adrift as Jim is. Together, they'll ride that Harley all the way to New Orleans. Together, they might find what they're looking for."

Trending at Hallandale Beach Blog: What's old becomes new -and popular! again! Actor Michael Parks is finally getting the overdue respect and attention he was due; from 'Then Came Bronson' to the 2012 actor in demand in Hollywood

Michael Parks as 'Jim Bronson,' a former San Francisco newspaper reporter turned motorcycle-driving vagabond, seeking to make sense of his own life and connect-the-dots in an ever-changing world around him.

Shown above in still of video, the delightful and beguiling Bonnie Bedelia. 😍😍😍😍

A post shared by Kevin Smith (@thatkevinsmith) on May 10, 2017 at 8:13am PDT

A confession: this TV show from 1969 remains one of my ten favorite all-time American TV shows. I was only eight years old when this first aired on TV, yet I was smart enough even then to realize that THIS is what compelling acting was. I completely believed everything Michael Parks said and did in his Jim Bronson persona. It ALL made sense to me.Especially the way that he would use the anger or upset that other people he encountered along the road had kept bottled up and carried with them for years, like an open sore, and inevitably find a timely way to turn that anger and hurt or resentment on its ear by making that other character see that maybe-just-maybe, they and their own choices (or lack of action or emotional support) actually bore a larger share of the blame for their particular present misfortune than they were willing to acknowledge.That was especially the case when another family member who was the person being blamed for the present unhappy circumstances.Someone almost inevitably needed to forgive someone else, but first, they had to forgive themselves! #kaboom! (Presaging Michael Landon in Highway to Heaven? Yep!)

They are the very qualities that so thoroughly captivated me as a kid in 1969 -and all my friends at Fulford Elementary School in North Miami Beach. Though I was just eight years old when this TV show, yet I was smart enough to realize even then that THIS is what compelling acting was. I watched every episode religiously every Wednesday night on NBC-TV, and was thoroughly captivated!

If VCRs and DVRs had existed then, I surely would have watched the episodes over-and-over trying to make sure that I had drained every nuance and anecdote I could out of it before I went to school the next day at school.Though you may find it hard to believe now, my friends and I talked about the show the next day in detail like I later would talk about sports and politics -with enthusiasm and great curiosity about what others thought about what we'd all seen, and most importantly, what it all really meant.

Like it was philosophy!

For those of you who never saw the show in the first place and who'd like to know more details about it, see this Wiki entry which seems pretty accurate to me:

"Curiously, though the opening promises a journey of self-discovery, the premise of each episode is that Bronson enters someone else's life at a crucial point and acts as a catalyst for change."

I haven't always seen eye-to-eye with film director Kevin Smith on various subjects or even liked all of his films, but the words and qualities he uses above in his Instagram post to describe his friend and film muse Michael Parks could not possibly be more spot-on to me. This show is when I first fell in LOVE with Bonnie Bedelia! The first time I saw her, when she was just twenty-one, I was smitten like a kitten! 😍😍😍😍

In retrospect, I sometimes think that the entire time I was atIU, I was looking for a Bonnie Bedelia doppelgänger, hoping that one of my smart and clever friends at the IUsororities which would have strong competitors for that Bonnie comparison -Tri-Delt, Delta Gammaand Kappa Kappa Gamma and Kappa Alpha Theta- would come thru for me.Nope. I was set-up with lots of amazing sorority "sisters" of friends that were close to capturing her spirit and personality, but ultimately, alas, no cigar. The talented and lovely Leighton Meester reminded me of the sweetness of a young Bonnie from the first time I ever saw her in NBC's cute sci-fi show "Surface" in 2010 when she was 19. Now, every time I see BB I think of LM and vice-versa.

BLAKE LIVELY AND LEIGHTON MEESTER OF GOSSIP GIRL,

ROLLING STONE 1075, MARCH 2009.

You scream, I scream, we all scream for... Gossip Girl. Photo by Terry Richardson.

A post shared by ESTHEREVERYWHERE (@esthereverywhere) on Nov 9, 2016 at 4:16pm PST

Thumbs up! What a night! #HOLLYWOODFL based photographer and entrepreneur Esther Chuang with a very elated Hollywood Mayor-elect Josh Levy at his Victory Party, held at Leo Anato's Atelier3/AT3 on Harrison Street & S. 19th Avenue, Hollywood. AT3's great environment and the amazing variety of food prepared by chef Kevin Dreifuss, former owner/chef of ENDS MEAT restaurant, was SUPERB! November 8, 2016

A post shared by ESTHEREVERYWHERE (@esthereverywhere) on Jul 10, 2015 at 5:17pm PDT

Above, perhaps my most-favorite photo ever of Esther, which is really saying something considering the THOUSANDS that I've actually seen of her, from all over the world. But despite the fact that you can't actually see it here, trust me, her amazing smile and inner and external beauty are there. This photo is an even more amazing achievement when you know the backstory of what it took for Esther to get to the top of the mountain, since it's NOT for the faint of heart. Next time you see her, ask her about that! Morro Dois Irmãos, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on her birthday, July 10, 2015. That's the Christ The Redeemer statue way out in the horizon on the top of another mountain, to the left of her head.
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In case you forgot what the Christ the Redeemer statue looks like, up close, here's another Brazilian beauty to connect-the-dots for you: Gisele Bündchen, aka @Gisele.

Made in the shade! Your faithful blogger, Dave, on a very windy Sunday afternoon about 430 PM, in between the iconic beachball-colored Hallandale Beach Water Tower and HB Lifeguard stand #1, near @ETARURestaurant, October 29, 2017, Hallandale Beach, Florida

A few minutes later, in between the Hallandale Beach Water Tower and the beach, near @ETARURestaurant, October 29, 2017, Hallandale Beach, Florida

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You know me, Cissi, just a truth-telling chronicler of fact in a world of facades/self-deception/PR flackery. Yr future in the #music industry = unlimited precisely bec U have the qualities it takes to succeed -and thrive!��2018 = going to be your year!�� @fredrikstrage@variety

Almost as misleading as his signs that read "Bring Bill back." Absolutely nobody in #HallandaleBeach, outside of his cult of (feckless) personality, is saying this. He is the personification of everything bad there the past 15 years thru his obliviousness, lack of scruples.

#FunFactSweden Did you know that Sweden has five official minority languages – Sami, Yiddish, Romani, Finnish & Meänkieli (Torne Valley Finnish)? Bonus fact: Swedish was not formally recognized as the main official language until 2009. pic.twitter.com/EUUz9LkF2W

2/ Runcie's #Broward SchoolBoard said $800 million bond passed by voters in 2014 wld do something abt it. So what's going on there? Four months ago this was the sad reality: "There's been zero progress," says #CoralSprings Comm. Larry Vignola, adding it "should be top priority."

#SoFL#Broward Doing edits on my upcoming blog post re doings in #HallandaleBeach Tues. night: Perplexed public reacts to complete unknown being selected HB City Commissioner in "process" that was anything but open & fair-minded, and which was NOT an item on the public agenda. ��

Have thought for many years that fresh new faces/voices were desperately needed @SunSentinel@browardpolitics to make it more relevant/timely & fair-minded. Running dozens of tweets in 1 day saying same thing is not interesting. Esp. when seem like they're straight fm #DNC/#DCCC.

MT @omriceren Oh god. We're now going to have a nat'l debate abt whether being a survivor of a horrific mass shooting confers on teenagers exceptional epistemic privilege and policy wisdom allowing them to intuit solutions to cultural debates that have divided USA for generations

"We need to knock down this idea that the people were fooled. The 17.4million didn't vote Leave because of a dodgy slogan on a bus. They voted Leave because the laws that govern this country should be made in this country."@Tom_Slater_ discussing #Brexit on #skypaperspic.twitter.com/lIO6Z6Y45r

"If Russia's aim was to undermine US democracy, the US establishment did the job for them. The post-election smears against Trump voters, the Nazi scaremongering, did far more to undermine democracy than dodgy Twitter accounts ever could."@Tom_Slater_ on last night's #skypaperspic.twitter.com/x5S655opzO

Me, I'm not so big on ppl trying to crash an event that they either aren't invited to or expected at, then getting on thr high-horse to lecture everyone else. Self-involved, self-referential stunts, even if covered by yr media pals, don't make U right. https://t.co/f8BHX0i9Ot

On June 14th we will receive Sweden’s @PolarMusicPrize which awards two laureates in celebration of music in all its various genres. Honorees receive one million SEK which we will donate to @AWMHFoundation. We are truly humbled & inspired to be recognized in this manner! pic.twitter.com/oXkHySzah1

Media can regain lost credibility by stopping the snarky comments and looking for the clever nasty soundbite as it makes media look petty-the facts are more powerful and persuasive- so keep integrity and report the facts ,whatever they may be; facts are powerful;do you agree?

One doesn’t have to like Trump, or admire his behavior, or think this memo is a big deal, in order to find this attitude alarming. The FBI is subordinate to an executive agency created by Congress. https://t.co/uKtmpoeQPw

Well... make that Sunday morning. Forgot about time I would expend on my #SuperBowl Party prepaparations, so look for the post about future felon Joy Cooper on Sunday morning by Noon. No, really. It'll be up!!

In '11, as I blogged @ time, @DailyMailUK succeeded where so many others had failed, solving a riddle as old as time: "#Ikea design stores 'as mazes' to stop shoppers leaving so you end up buying more. Thanks Prof. Alan Penn, or is it Sherlock? https://t.co/LVlr1QrNdH via @Femail

The #Shakespeare#Miami company gave a terrific #Hamlet performance in DWTWN #HollywoodFL on a windy nite B4 hundreds of appreciative fans, many of whom clearly were new to LIVE #drama & Shakespeare judging by funny comments I heard beforehand. Always room for more drama fans!��

My #WhatsApp: I remember happy moments like that. And soon a day that I never ever thought could be reached, nor ever wanted to be reached, Day 101, will be over. Triple digits. To quote someone I'm forever quoting, "Wow." ☹️ And I'm not in #Sweden , either. ☹️☹️ pic.twitter.com/upD1rLQTaB

@instapundit In 2018, nothing's more precious than U.S. news media getting on thr high horse to lecture us abt personal relationships in workplace. Just don't think of Ben Bradlee @washingtonpost or Les Moonves @CBS, whose girlfriends worked for them there https://t.co/EErNGuIy1n

Mollie meet Eric. You two have lot in common re frequency of moral/ethical lapses @Twitter and thr clear-cut political P.O.V. masquerading as 'just-reporting-the-facts.' "How about “We push political narrative as news & just need to stop.”?" https://t.co/yLXROQuJFk@instapundit

Might've better been titled "THE most #Broward tweet of all-time." Self-promoting narcissist lobbyist takes a bow for making $ from private interests whose interests are usually antithetical to the public's, while on public dime. �� #galling#FL#ethics@crespogram@BillyCorben

The boyfriend of Mikaela -Malin and Jennifer's sister- wrote above: "Honey, you are my everything, my dream, my imagination, my reality, my future. Sounds like something that I would write to someone special -and have!

There are some who want Florida to become a sanctuary state much like California. Well I am here to say that we will not follow down that dangerous path. The Florida House passed HB-9 to enforce the rule of law and keep our communities safe. #HB9#SanctuaryCities#FLpol#Sayfiepic.twitter.com/W2zA69P9eH

My 4 year old overheard CNN & was terrified but I couldn't tell why. As I was putting her to bed she finally worked up the courage to ask "daddy, why does Federica Mogherini refuse to work with the Trump admin to prevent Iran from developing nuclear-capable ballistic missiles?"

"African Americans believe they migrated to America in chains, and when you speak to chain migration it hurts them personally" https://t.co/dtXXnMrML6 Is this a joke? It seems hard to believe even Dick Durbin is actually that stupid or cynical.

Reality: #Haiti really = mess. I once walked into Haitian Embassy in #DC during weekday afternoon w/my Mother who was visiting me from #Miami and there to do some business. We walked into bldg., did not see one person there for over twelve minutes. Gave up after 15 minutes, left.

@BillyCorben .@KennethTuran: gambling places so much strain on his marriage" that Riggs goes to a personal therapist, Gamblers Anonymous mtgs; plays cards w/his therapist, harangues his G.A. group, telling 'em thr problem = not that they gamble but that they're no good at it. ��

Remember, they're not making a big deal because they found out what was going on in Hollywood. They always knew. They're making a big deal because you found out what was going on in Hollywood. https://t.co/fV8YlV5gMk

There's the official "diversity visa" lottery & then there's the unofficial TPS lottery -- in which illegals lucky enough to be here when disaster strikes their homelands win work permits & Social Security accounts.

Police investigating possible explosion in Gothenburg tonight, in an area where another explosion took place on Dec 5. Earlier today a man was killed by what police suspect to be a hand grenade in Stockholm subway. BTW no longer the top headline here. https://t.co/V7r2zxLiFz

After "torture-like" gang rape of a 17-year-old girl in Malmö last night, police urging women/girls not to walk alone after dark. I wrote about Sweden's rape problem for @QuilletteM recently: https://t.co/EKrRBcHwCW

You are a disgrace @margotwallstrom. In your twisted world an embassy move warrants UN emergency sessions but when mullahs - the men your "feminist government" bowed to - slaughter Iranians in the streets, you boycott US efforts at the UN. Shame on you!https://t.co/6RgTvw8CAB

There are still plenty of ppl @Newsweek who, 11 years ago, bet-the-house on the #Duke#Lacrosse rape story being true, doing everything they cld at the time short of providing rope for a lynching, to malign accused bec they were White Jocks and accuser was Black. @IngrahamAngle

Anna Muzychuk, #Hero. "In a few days I am going to lose two World Champion titles—one by one. Just because I decided not to go to Saudi Arabia. Not to play by someone's rules, not to wear abaya, not to be accompanied getting outside—not to feel myself a secondary creature." pic.twitter.com/qOB6U3QVqR

No matter where you stand politically, a growing body of facts raises the question: Is there systemic corruption or misfeasance at work inside America’s intelligence agencies? By @SharylAttkissonhttps://t.co/SvS0FYCyGg

Meanwhile, there are ZERO #HallandaleBeach Police officers at busiest intersection of city during morning gridlock @ US-1/HB Blvd. that snarls traffic in city 4 residents/#SmallBiz, commuters to #HollywoodFL/#Aventura. Please STOP giving new HB PoliceChief a hall pass!��������

.@MargotWallstrom Why did same rally calling for murder of Jews also cry out "Long live Margot Wallström!"? They said you "have their back." Is this who you fight for?@CarlBildt: Why did you just write op-ed dismissing antisemitism in Sweden & omit murder chants in your capital? pic.twitter.com/0ikwrXJAzz

My take on the recent attacks against Jews in Sweden and the wave of anti-Jewish incitement. Sweden's leaders must address the causes of the new anti-Semitism, or this is only going to get worse. My oped in @nytimes : https://t.co/C915B3wenK

‘Brexit hasn’t emboldened people to be racist, it’s emboldened people to talk about difficult political issues. We can’t conflate discussion about immigration with racism’ - spiked writer @MrCDHamilton talking sense on #skynews

Just seeing this after I awoke, I burst out crying. There it is, confirmation that Harvey Weinstein derailed my career, something I suspected but was unsure. Thank you Peter Jackson for being honest. I’m just heartsick https://t.co/ljK9NqICbm

‘Brexit hasn’t emboldened people to be racist, it’s emboldened people to talk about difficult political issues. We can’t conflate discussion about immigration with racism’ - spiked writer @MrCDHamilton talking sense on #skynews

Valerie, 25, is a server who has over 50 Halloween costumes in her closet and doesn't like to swim in the deep ocean because "there is so much that we don't know about the deep sea." pic.twitter.com/F8jM2tTFPF

Miss Iraq is a hero. Her family forced to flee because she posed with Miss Israel, to send message of peace & love. She stands strong: "I’m not the first nor last person to face persecution over a matter of personal freedom. Millions of Iraqi women live in fear. #freeiraqiwomen" pic.twitter.com/Ta2CMMG6oU

John Oliver just went after Dustin Hoffman big time on sexual harassment at this Wag The Dog panel. Hoffman grew visibly uncomfortable. "You weren't there," he says to Oliver. "I'm happy I wasn't," Oliver replied.

After the infamous Clinton-Lynch tarmac meeting, a frantic scramble erupted in the halls of the FBI to cover it up. The FBI was concerned not about the scandalous meeting itself, but was instead focused on one of the whistleblowers who got the word out.https://t.co/HFn822GbDj

Got off a long flight to find out “I Could Use A Love Song” is nominated for a freaking Grammy! I can’t process that HERO has had this presence both years now, so I’m incredibly thankful & shocked. Congratulations to all of my friends for their nominations as well! #GRAMMYspic.twitter.com/sa2DUjrCEG

In 1790, 19% of the entire population of the first 13 states lived in Virginia. But 10 of the 26 senators in the first Congress represented states that—combined—had roughly 100,000 fewer people than VA

For this week's sunday twitter focus, we're going analog, back to a time when writing things down on paper still meant something. Send your favorite #MovieLetters our way & we'll retweet our favorites throughout the day! pic.twitter.com/hcHCmKYrcr

On August 20, 1939, the New York Times wrote an article profiling Hitler's daily life in his mountain chalet, featuring such details as, "Though Hitler is a strict vegetarian and teetotaler, he is not indifferent to meals."